In recent years, the rise of DIY culture has empowered makers from all corners of the world to create everything from dad hats to slime. In that same time, a wave of punk-era aesthetics has swept over many of the alternative subcultures that thrive on the internet.
With that in mind, it makes sense that iron-on, embroidered patches are increasingly prominent and now adorn denim jackets like we’re at a Ramones concert in the ’70s.
True to form, Latinx patch makers have proven to be some of the most inventive, evoking symbols of cultural traditions, intersectional feminism, and space travel. Here are some of the best Latinx-designed patches. You’ll want to cop them immediately.
1
Prayer Hands
Bella Doña has become one of the most important – and stylish – ambassadors of LA’s Chicanx culture. Its web store plays host to dozens of the internet’s best patches, but Prayer Hands remains the brand’s most timeless.
$6. Buy it here.
2
Soy Fuerte
Let’s face it: With racist dog whistles blowing harder than usual, draconian immigration policies, and the constant grind that is daily life, it’s safe to say that times are tough. But tough times create tough people. Glime Candy’s Etsy shop is laced with kitschy, satirical takes on Latinx culture, but its Soy Fuerte rose patch, which comes in two colors, resonates for its simple message.
$6. Buy it here.
3
Pride Paleta
If you’re from particular parts of the country, you’ll remember the friendly paletero man walking with purpose through your neighborhood at the same time every day, delivering treats after school like clockwork. If you’re from the growing number of cities around the country where gay communities thrive, the rainbow flag is evocative of gay pride and the enduring battle for marginalized communities. The Pride Paleta patch provides a chance to highlight the important intersection that exists between Latinx culture and the LGBTQ community.
$5. Buy it here.
4
Pink Concha
There is something therapeutic about walking into a panadería. The smell of baked goods with names your Anglo friends would completely butcher is one of those sensory experiences deeply embedded in your brain. The Pink Concha patch is a must-cop.
$5. Buy it here.
5
Space Punk
In a realm that feels dominated by designers focusing exclusively on quirks of Latinx culture, Major Crimes Division strikes the perfect balance between elote and electromagnetic. The Space Punk patch speaks to the rebellious astrophysicist that exists in anyone who’s marveled at the stars or dreamt of life as an astronaut.
$5. Buy it here.
6
No Mal Ojo
The dreaded Mal de Ojo has been blamed for babies getting sick and befalling bad fortune for generations. Remedies vary but one thing is certain – your tía still doesn’t trust the lady at church who gave her the side-eye all those years ago. Maybe the Curandera Press’ No Mal Ojo patch will assuage her fears.
$5. Buy it here.
7
I Don’t Know Her
J. Lo and Mariah Carey have thrown subtle shade at each other for the better part of two decades. Both have logged (something), but Mariah provided the spat’s most meme-worthy moment back in 2001 with her deliciously petty response to a question about Lopez. “I don’t know her” lives on and Pop Aesthete commemorates the jab with a patch for the ages.
$6. Buy it here.
8
No Me Jodas
Shop Destruya is the Boricua-run online shop making some of the Latinternet’s most piercing social statements. Its I Owe You Nothing patch is a middle finger to masculinity’s toxic sense of entitlement and No Me Jodas is a stylish middle finger to the dusty people who encroach on your happiness.
$6. Buy it here.
9
Chismosa
Most of us wear the word chismosa like a badge of honor, and now DreamHeauxApparel literally allows you to wear it as a badge.
$5. Buy here.
10
Kill Machismo
HilosShop is an Etsy store that designs “patches con amor.” This patch is a love letter to all those who have suffered at the hands of machismo.
$12. Buy here.